Judgment
by heartsans
Summary: Zuko is taken prisoner by the group. Katara lets out her rage. Short oneshot AU.


"We accept your offer."

Zuko turned his weary eyes towards them, heart sinking like a cast stone in a lake. This was not as he had pictured it in his head, but truly, did he expect them to welcome him like a prodigal son, after all the wrongs he had committed? Aching as it was, this made a lot more sense to him, to be taken as a prisoner instead forgiven and embraced as a friend. It was ablution, almost, a cleansing of wrongdoing to be punished this way, knowing at the very least that he, the sinner, had been properly taken care of.

He sat there, motionless, head bowed low towards the temple floor and met with silence that hurt more than piercing screaming. The waterbender girl, Katara, was asking one of them to fetch a metal bar. Now was not the time to be amused, but he could not help but wonder quietly as the small girl in the group approached him with an expression of pity and bent the metal into an impromptu bond, placing his hands behind his back. It was an interesting power, but he did not have the luxury to contemplate on it, thoughts interrupted by Katara's furious voice as she gave out orders.

"Sokka, take his belongings. He won't be needing them."

He did as he was told to do, a triumphant, vindictive smile on his face, but with the faintest bit of fear in his eyes. Fear of him, or fear of his sister's sudden wrath? It was hard to tell. At this point though, it didn't matter. He had abandoned hope of them accepting him now, torn in half in realization that he had stood up to his father only to find his mission to be in vain. He did not regret, however, regret a single word he said to the man. Regret went a long way in his blood, but regret was not going to fix what he had done.

"Katara, I'm having second thoughts..." The avatar was speaking now, and Zuko could feel the boy's uncertain eyes on his person, searching for something that he doubted was there. "We shouldn't be doing this."

She stared at him incredulously. "Aang, this is Zuko we are talking about. He has been chasing us since day one! He stole my mother's necklace, hunted us down, and betrayed us at Ba Sing Se. He almost had you killed! How can you possibly defend him now?"

Aang did not say another word, taking one last look at their captive, who kept his silence, before walking off with the blind girl and the waterbender's brother into the darker areas of the temple, until they were completely gone from sight. Even Appa had chosen this the proper time to fly away.

He was alone with her, knees cold, a brutal ache in his chest.

"Do you have anything to say to me? Come on, I'm interested. Something smartass and angry like we've grown to expect from you. Or maybe you will beg?"

Perhaps this was what his uncle felt in that cell, this pain that prevented his mouth from forming words. He kept his head low, watching her feet move towards him. Katara bent down, took him forcefully by the chin, blue eyes meeting gold ones. He could see her anger, her hurt, and felt something in him snap in twain. So this was the price of his offenses, the pain and suffering of this girl. He could not take it back. He could not take any of it back.

"Say something, you bastard!"

The banished prince closed his eyes, in order to avoid her stare. It was far too much, her feral eyes like a kick to his stomach and head. She responded to this by slapping him in the cheek, the force knocking him until he lost his balance and fell on his side. There were no words.

"I don't know what you think you are going to gain by being our prisoner. We aren't going to be charmed by you again, whatever the hell kind of ploy you are using. If this is some kind of trick you may as well reveal yourself now."

Words. Small, weak words left him.

"No... trick. So. Tired."

There was a pause, a weighty silence that felt punctuated with meaning, though what meaning that was, Zuko was not sure. It was short lived, and Katara proceeded to grab him by the shirt collar, taking a long and stony look at his face.

"I believed you in Ba Sing Se. I truly did. You hurt me so much by lying to me. I trusted you, I gave you my pity, which you far from deserved." She placed her hands around his neck, and he prepared for the worst, the unexpected softness of traveling fingers causing his eyes to widen. What was she doing?

"Shame you are a nice looking boy. Bastards like you don't deserve such pretty faces."

Her expression was blank now, hiding waves of emotion behind a dull stare. Zuko's heart quickened, and stopped completely as she leaned over to kiss him on the mouth, a crushing, bruising kiss that left him cold and shivering.

"I think I just might keep you. You are mine now."

She pulled away, and the former prince, swept in the tides of feeling, began to weep. Zuko did not register her opening her container of water at first, but when she walked behind him and he felt a sharp pain in his back, the cloth tearing, he knew. A second time, she waved her hands, the whip of water controlled and sharp, striking him. He bit his lip, eyes growing blurry. Three times. Four times. Ten times. He remained immobile, not offering any resistance.

It stopped then, and he collapsed, wanting so much to sleep, knowing that tomorrow would not be a pleasant day, nor the following day, if they decided to keep him for that long. His back was facing the cold air, wet from blood and water. He did not have it in him to even cry out.

Katara walked towards him, picked him up, and cradled him in her arms, nails digging into the wounded flesh.

"Don't worry, I won't ever harm your face."

* * *

_ (I don't think you guys realized that this was supposed to be very OOC. It's a soft poking at season one fanfiction in which Zuko kidnaps Katara, and Katara develops Stockholms Syndrome.)_


End file.
